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Real-estate apps available today enable realtors, brokers and landlords to earn more while remaining relevant in our technologically-advancing society.
This guide is ideal for those considering creating a real-estate app but have yet to take the plunge. Here we explore five reasons why modern real estate apps are critical to success and highlight why their existence should not be overlooked.
The Must-Have Features In A Real Estate Mobile App
Real estate apps aim to engage users while streamlining the purchasing or selling process.
Keep pace with current features and trends so you can incorporate them into your application, instead of producing just another irrelevant app for real estate in the app store.
Below we have provided some key elements you must include in a real estate application.
1. Sign Up/Login (User Onboarding)
The user onboarding process is the core feature of any real estate app. It should be as easy as possible. Three ways are available to achieve this.
- Social media authorization
- Authorization via email
- Phone verification
Choose from any of the methods above to let users sign up for your app. Combining all of the above can also be a good idea.
This will give users more flexibility and convenience, as well as simplify the registration process.
2. User Profiles (User, Sellers & Agents)
Users should have the ability to create profiles within an application so that they may carry out various tasks more effectively and independently.
Different profiles should also be created for various user groups.
Buyer profiles differ significantly from agent profiles in their options available to buyers. Buyers have access to home listings, can view individual properties in greater depth, send inquiries and save favorites; more on these features later.
An agent can view his listings and schedules, buyers interested in each listing and viewing statistics of those listings.
Common factors also exist, with all users having access to messaging and map features.
3. Listings and Database
Property listings in an app are essential features. Listings should provide all available properties along with details needed for purchase or rent.
Users looking to list their property for rent or sale should have no difficulty adding their listing.
Property listings will continue to expand over time and as users increase so will the listings themselves; ensure your database can scale as necessary by having flexible scaling-up operations built-in - any real estate app requires an effective database.
4. Filters and Categories
What's the hardest part of online property searches? Finding your ideal home!
Your users will require advanced search options in order to streamline the property-hunting experience. Create categories and filter options so they can locate properties which meet their criteria more quickly and efficiently.
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5. Property Profiles
These profiles include extensive details for every property listed here - descriptions, photographs and videos; value propositions; neighborhood details; owner information; pricing details as well as much more!
Over 80% of users make decisions to buy homes based on photos and videos uploaded of potential houses they like.
Include contact details of both the owner and agent of the property in question.
6. Favorites (Shortlisting)
Users should have the ability to save and shortlist properties they are most interested in for easy decision-making purposes.
This makes the search experience simpler for them.
Your personal profile provides all the details regarding the properties that interest you.
7. Maps
Integrating maps is essential to creating any real estate app, providing users with important and helpful information.
Display data and statistics regarding selected properties. Find information such as crime rates, infrastructure needs, schools nearby, average incomes and natural disaster risks on government websites.
Real estate app developers offer experienced support in collecting information from the government and displaying it within your app.
8. Push Notifications
Push notifications can be an extremely powerful marketing strategy and this feature should be integrated into any real estate app to guarantee its long-term success.
Send push notifications to keep customers' minds engaged with your business and promote its value. This strategy could prove quite advantageous.
Push notifications provide your prospects with industry news or to notify users about price changes or new properties in specific locations.
You could notify users about price shifts or specific properties.
Push notifications only work effectively if they're tailored specifically to each recipient. Only send relevant content.
9. Property Cost Calculators
Price calculators make an invaluable asset to any real estate app, giving users an idea of the total property cost.
Request developers include this feature so users can have a clear picture of how much their real estate costs.
Be certain your calculator has enough details. A comprehensive calculator should allow for adjustments of initial payments, taxes, interest rates and repayment schedule in order to accurately predict final amounts.
10. Calendar
At first, this feature may seem unnecessary or optional; however, both buyers and agents alike will find its utility invaluable.
App allows buyers to check available dates, and schedule appointments directly in the app - receiving reminders at each scheduled appointment time.
11. Call or Direct Messaging
The first step is to provide users with detailed property information. Add the direct messaging or call feature to move the user to the next step of the sales funnel.
You can use different methods to connect buyers and agents.
- Call Direct
- Callback Option
- Online chat
- Book a consultation
A buyer should be able to contact the owner or dealer to find out more information about a particular property.
12. You Can Also Read About The Advantages
Mobile applications that include analytics are essential features in any successful app.
Understand your user interactions before designing any app - be it for real estate sales and rentals or simply an internal app designed for business use.
Analytics gives your app an edge, providing invaluable insight into its performance and what can be done to enhance it.
Analytics offers detailed user insight, such as time spent viewing individual screens. With such data in hand, making better decisions regarding your app should become simpler than ever!
Utilize data effectively by segmenting users based on their behavior and adding them to various marketing campaigns.
13. Virtual Tour
Virtual tours or 3D walks provide buyers with an effective means of exploring a house they may be considering purchasing, with 70% of first-time buyers finding virtual 3D tours as essential as open houses when making decisions about potential homes for sale.
Zillow Group CMO Jeremy Wacksman believes rich media like 3D Homes will allow buyers and tenants to more clearly visualize their dream homes regardless of distance.
Virtual tours provide an effective means of showcasing property without physically having to visit it.
How Much Does It Cost To Develop A Real Estate App?
You may be wondering how much it will cost to develop an app for your real estate company.
What is the real cost of developing a mobile app for real estate? To be honest, Real estate app development costs are affected by many factors.
The cost of developing an app for real estate is generally determined by the following factors.
- Set of Features
- You can also Design Your Own
- Device (iOS or Android) and Technology
- Rates of development companies by the hour
Hourly rates are largely dependent on where the company is located. Companies in North America, for example, charge an average of $50 to $250 an hour.
In Eastern Europe, you may find more affordable options.
You can use our project cost calculator to get an idea of the price range for developing a mobile real estate app.
Most Successful Real Estate Apps
House purchases are among the costliest purchases we will make, so when spending six figures it is crucial to have a platform which offers many features and provides reliable support.
By including these features in your real estate app, you can give users deeper insights into properties while building trust among users.
Here is a list of real estate apps that have revolutionized the US real estate market and offer special services for homebuyers, agents and sellers alike.
Read More: 3 Ways Artificial Intelligence (AI) is Transforming Real Estate
1. Zillow
Zillow was established in 2006 and has become one of the top real estate apps available in the US. Offering millions of listings both for sale and rent, and also including an estimator which calculates current and historical home values, Zillow provides users with one stop shopping when it comes to real estate needs.
Rich Barton, CEO of Zillow, states, "Our belief is that real magic for both sellers and buyers occurs when all these disparate, costly elements come together into an integrated and seamless package.
2. Redfin
Redfin, located in Seattle, serves both as a real-estate brokerage and app. Their app gives users a range of search filters as well as providing accurate estimations for home values - Redfin's model puts customer service first!
Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman told Geekwire in an interview: "Our aim is to offer consumers something truly distinct; high-quality service with faster access to homes for sale; as well as offering immediate sales if that is their preference."
3. LoopNet
LoopNet by CoStar Group provides investors with an invaluable real estate app specialized in commercial properties - it's Zillow for commercial real estate!
LoopNet is your go-to choice if you are searching for commercial properties ranging from office space and land for industrial use to investment properties with large investment potential.
LoopNet features are specifically tailored to assist listings for such commercial real estate listings.
For These Reasons, A Real Estate App Is Essential
1. Apps for Real Estate Enhance User Experience
Zillow and Redfin's real estate apps boast much smoother user interfaces compared to their web versions, and vice versa.
Click, swipe or tap to take any desired action. Users can easily filter listings based on different search criteria while also scrolling through photos to gain more knowledge about a property for sale or rent.
Establishing a website for your real estate business is wise; in fact, you'll most likely require one as it allows users to navigate easily via mobile devices like phones or tablets.
While traditional websites are effective ways of providing information, mobile apps offer greater functionality when used by potential clients who need immediate answers on mobile.
Apps tend to be more responsive than mobile websites; however, they do not integrate as seamlessly with the internal components of phones.
Experience can have an immense effect on mobile device use; take a look at this research that compares app versus web usage.
On smartphones, users spend four times longer using apps than websites; tablet users spend even longer engaging with applications over websites.
As you plan the layout for your real estate app, reading up on UX principles may prove useful.
2. Real Estate Mobile Apps Drive Engagement
Apps excel at engaging users more effectively than any other digital touchpoint.
Your real estate app can be put to immediate use upon downloading; just one-click access makes accessing it far simpler than having to launch your browser and manually enter sites manually.
Studies reveal that users of real estate apps become highly engaged within a week after downloading them.
Real estate apps retain twice the users of mobile websites. If you can convince someone to download one for themselves, chances are good they'll remain loyal customers of your brand.
70% of real estate app users who access them at least three times weekly are the most active.
Engaging people through an app is easier than other digital touchpoints; even non-users can still receive notifications about new listings via push notifications.
Email marketing may seem more powerful, but social media marketing offers even greater returns for a small investment of time and energy.
3. Real Estate Agents Can Build Their Personal Brands
Choose the ideal real estate app and you could take your brand to new heights. Even if you work alone or for a smaller agency, having access to top-of-the-line agent apps won't compromise the success of your brand.
These apps don't need to compete directly against Zillow and other major real estate mobile app publishers in terms of user acquisition.
Focus your marketing on local prospects by giving out these apps as soon as you start communicating.
Imagine yourself as a potential homebuyer; chances are, there's more than one agent trying to attract their interest.
By getting into their pocket with an application on their smartphone device, you have an edge over competitors and could gain the upper hand quickly and efficiently.
Sellers can also benefit from using mobile applications to list their home. Listing their property with you increases its likelihood of faster sale with qualified buyers.
4. Real Estate Apps Are Versatile
You can use an app for real estate in many ways to increase sales and promote your business. Here are a few examples that show this versatility.
- Advertise residential property for sale
- Commercial properties on display for sale or rent
- Rental listings for both landlords and tenants
- Home value estimates for prospective sellers
- Property managers can find commercial property listings on the Internet.
- Schedule a visit to the Open House and get more information
- Calculate mortgage payments using all the tools available
- Home buyers can find property records and MLS listings by searching online
- Property tax records, sales history
- Floor plans with detailed floor plans are available for prospective house buyers and tenants.
- Professional photography and virtual tools
- Local school ratings, and other useful information
- Save your favorite properties for future use
The list above is just a small sample of the possibilities that a mobile real estate app can offer. It shows the potential of a real estate mobile app if you're looking to do more than list properties.
5. Stay On Top Of Real Estate Market Trends
United States real estate app downloads have experienced an astonishing 15% surge, while in the UK they increased by 7.6%.
Keep abreast of current real estate trends with an app tailored to mobile real estate devices.
Both buyers and sellers rely heavily on popular real estate apps like Zillow and Redfin for real estate searches, creating expectations about what a positive real estate experience should consist of, whether buying, renting, or selling.
Make it as convenient and straightforward for them as possible by offering tools they already use such as multiple listing services or mobile applications that have similar functions installed on their phone.
They should feel empowered in using what feels familiar.
Imagine running an estate agency without email - there was once no such exchanges involved with real estate transactions! It may sound far-fetched but try putting yourself into those shoes for just one moment!
Today we live in an app-dominated society; 20 years from now people will look back and marvel that there was ever a time without mobile apps for house selling and buying?
Read More: What Are Some Good Features A Real Estate App Should Have?
6. Increase Your Reach And Audience
Apps make reaching new customers simpler.
Your career might revolve around selling houses. Now, thanks to an app, however, you can expand and highlight commercial property listings as well.
Use your app to bring property managers and landlords closer together, while tailoring parts of it specifically towards real estate investors.
Apps offer more capabilities and flexibility than websites, social media platforms, email or even emails alone - giving businesses virtually limitless customization capabilities so that they can reach anyone they desire.
Once your app is available on Apple App Store or Google Play Store, anyone can easily download it and access it for use.
Your products or services will reach more people, who might otherwise not have found you through search engines or social media websites.
7. Improve Customer Relationship Management
Your mobile real estate app can also double as a platform for CRM. Customers can register for an app by entering personal information about themselves.
- Name
- Phone Number
- Address
- Email email address
- What they are looking for
- Location
- Preferences
You can allow users to enter as much information as they like to enhance your CRM database.
You can still add direct messaging to the app even without their phone number or email address. This allows for two-way communication.
You wouldn't be able to do this if you just handed a prospect your business card. An app allows you to contact any user at any time.
8. Simple Document Delivery
Real estate transactions no longer involve lengthy faxes or in-person meetings - with our mobile app you can now send documents and collect signatures at any time!
Facilitates smooth transactions for sellers, buyers and brokers.
This system also encourages users to self-serve during non-business hours; for example, if someone needs directions on Monday morning but the office was closed Sunday night, they won't have to wait in line at reception before self-serving themselves.
This app includes a checklist of documents for users to quickly locate forms they must complete and their status in real-time, along with providing responses via mobile survey directly within the app itself.
9. Organize And Showcase Your Team Of Realtors
Real estate apps make an excellent tool to find agents who meet your criteria within your locality.
Agent directories allow real estate enthusiasts to easily connect with an agent who fits those specifications.
Say an app user wants more details on a listing; when asked for assistance by agents or by themselves, this app connects users directly.
Both buyers and sellers can utilize this app to explore more about any agent they might work with.
Zillow can serve as an inspiration when developing your own app.
This feature adds an individualized element to user experience and lets them get acquainted with you better prior to engaging with you in any communication process.
10. Property Listings with High Returns
Investment in mobile real estate apps should only make financial sense if they provide you with returns.
Agents tend to favor apps as a tool that will both assist them with sales efforts, and enhance customer experiences.
Virtual tours allow instantaneous access to any potential buyer, saving both time and effort compared to showing someone the property only to discover that it doesn't meet their requirements.
Use your time selling rather than being bogged down with details that the app can take care of on its own.
Want More Information About Our Services? Talk to Our Consultants!
Final Thoughts
Mobile apps for real estate have become an essential tool for agents, brokers, and realtors. Mobile apps can be used in many ways to improve your business and serve customers.
The possibilities are endless. Whether you offer a simple calculator for mortgages or a full service app to manage property, there is no end to the possibilities.
We are a real estate app development company which excels at creating portals that allow multiple agents to maintain properties.
